One sergeant, two detachments

Both RCMP detachments on the islands will be administered by Sgt. Rob Knapton of Queen Charlotte, until a new sergeant for Masset arrives. The Masset detachment lost its sergeant earlier this month when Grant MacDonald left after his three year term was up. His replacement, Blake Ward from Prince Rupert, is not able to come to Masset until he sells his house there. “Because there is a vacancy up there, they’ve asked me to assist in Masset, to run the other detachment,” Sgt. Knapton told the Observer, “I’ll be up there two days a week, Tuesday and Thursday. The rest of the week I’ll be in Queen Charlotte or Sandspit.” Sgt. Knapton said the plan is temporary until Sgt. Ward arrives, but district headquarters in Prince George is interested to see if works. If it does, the day may come when the Masset and Queen Charlotte detachments share more administrative work.